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Excerpt from Oral History Interview with H. M. Michaux, November 20, 1974. Interview A-0135. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) See Entire Interview >>

Republicans' political chances in upcoming elections

Jesse Helms is painted as a reactionary Republican politician who denigrates North Carolina nationally. As a result, Michaux predicts Republicans will have difficulty maintaining elective offices in North Carolina.

Citing this Excerpt

Oral History Interview with H. M. Michaux, November 20, 1974. Interview A-0135. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Full Text of the Excerpt

JACK BASS:
I'm not sure I understood exactly what you meant when you mentioned Helms' role. You mean the fact that Helms was sitting on the sidelines or there was a reaction to Helms-
H. M. MICHAUX:
I think there was a reaction to Jesse Helms period, as a representative from the state of North Carolina. I don't think that most well-meaning people even want to identify with Jesse Helms. I think even some of the people that voted for him regret that they voted for him now. Because, let's face it, Jesse Helms has made no significant contribution since he's been there. If anything, it's been an adverse contribution. If he's made a contribution it's been adverse to the best interests of the people of the state of North Carolina. Because you go somewhere and you say that you're from North Carolina then the problem that you run into is people say "Oh yeah, you're from that state with that radical senator up there, Jesse Helms." You know, folks get tired of that and become rather ashamed of it after a while.